Forum Discussion

Sophomore

5 years ago

Streaming Video Constant Buffering

I know this has been addressed in a variety of previous posts but I haven’t really seen a good explanation. Using Netflix or Amazon Prime in the evenings, the stream stops to buffer every few minutes....

GabeU
5 years ago
bcs001 wrote:
I am considering setting up a home network PC based server that possibly could be used as the recording device and then fed to my Smart TV thru an Ethernet connection.
If your smart TV or some other connected media device, such as a Blu Ray player, has a USB port, you may be able to watch the downloaded items via USB flash drive or external HDD/SSD as well. This is what I do. I've got all of my PlayOn Cloud files written to a 1TB external SSD. Though I dind't know it until I tried, my smart TV has a built in file playing app which plays the .mp4 format of the PlayOn Cloud files, as does my Blu Ray player.

I also write the files to DVDs and/or Blu Rays for more permanent storage.

Sophomore

Thanks for the detailed explanations guys.....that really help me understand what’s going on. When I had ViaSat service I was experiencing buffering because of speed issues (less than .25 down in the evenings GS) which is what made me change to Hughes. While the Hughes speeds are consistently high, I’m assuming my still slow internet performance is mainly a function of this same latency and network congestion that is affecting the streaming. Unfortunately where I’m located, satellite is my only option for now so I will have to learn to tolerate it.
Thanks again.

Distinguished Professor IV

5 years ago

Some of us use PlayOn Cloud, an app available for Android and iOS. It lets you download stuff from several providers (Hulu, Prime, Netflix, and more). Each download costs 25 cents. The app works like a virtual DVR -- it records from the cloud (using no data), and then you download the recordings (this uses data) as MP4 files. You can keep the files forever. There is zero buffering because you're watching a recording.

bcs001
Sophomore
5 years ago
I’ve seen that discussed here and started to look into so options for using the PC based software version. I am considering setting up a home network PC based server that possibly could be used as the recording device and then fed to my Smart TV thru an Ethernet connection. I haven’t figured out if this could be a viable option but any recommendations from the experts here would be much appreciated.
- MarkJFine
  Professor
  5 years ago
  Some of us here have also set up Plex Media Servers for movies, TV shows and music.
  
  I don't use PlayOn, but I have built a pretty good library from ripped CDs, SA-CDs (I'm a sucker for 5.1/Quad), DVDs and Blu-Rays that I down-convert to flac, dts wav, 480p, and 720p (respectively) to save disk space. The TV has a pretty good connection using the 5GHz Wifi and the server's wired by ethernet cable, so am able to just use the house LAN.
  
  If PlayOn just gives you a standard mkv or mp4 file, I'm sure Plex would have no problem serving it.
- maratsade
  Distinguished Professor IV
  5 years ago
  "I’ve seen that discussed here and started to look into so options for using the PC based software version."
  
  Be aware that, unless things have changed, the PC client uses data both to record and to download. At least it used to be this way, which is why I switched to the cloud version, which only uses data to download. I also had other problems with the PC app; it kept disconnecting and it was a royal pain. I have had no problems with the cloud app.
- GabeU
  Distinguished Professor IV
  5 years ago
  bcs001 wrote:
  I am considering setting up a home network PC based server that possibly could be used as the recording device and then fed to my Smart TV thru an Ethernet connection.
  If your smart TV or some other connected media device, such as a Blu Ray player, has a USB port, you may be able to watch the downloaded items via USB flash drive or external HDD/SSD as well. This is what I do. I've got all of my PlayOn Cloud files written to a 1TB external SSD. Though I dind't know it until I tried, my smart TV has a built in file playing app which plays the .mp4 format of the PlayOn Cloud files, as does my Blu Ray player.
  
  I also write the files to DVDs and/or Blu Rays for more permanent storage.
  - bcs001
    Sophomore
    5 years ago
    Great suggestion. I signed up with PlayOn Cloud for a trial service and found it to be a very good solution that gives me unbuffered HD video and by downloading the cloud files at work, saves my data as well.
    I set up the app on my phone, que’d all my recording to the cloud, downloaded and set up the Playin Cloud Downloader on my work PC and set it up to automatically download to my PC between 12am and 5am so as not to interrupt any business hours. Then I bring my external USB HDD to work and transfer all the downloads to play at home thru the USB on the TV.
    With this service all you pay is the cost of each download which if you buy their larger packages will only cost 13-20 cents per.
    Even if I can’t get the downloads from work, you can set up downloads to home overnight and they would be available the next morning.
    The only downside is you have to plan ahead a few hours or overnight before watching a stream.
    Thanks GabeU.